The present invention relates in general to a direct, electrical, man-machine interface system. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a man-machine interface system that permits direct communication with a digital device such as a computer, micro-processor or calculator. The system of this invention may also be implemented as a two-way communication system permitting the conversion of bioelectric activity into digital signals and vice-versa.
Man is becoming continuously more dependent upon the services of computers, micro-processors, hard-wired logic circuitry and mechanical and electrical devices that are controlled and/or monitored by these digital devices. Of course, in order for electrically controlled machinery to serve man, provisions must be made for man-machine interfaces. Typical devices presently used for performing this interface function are teletype terminals and similar keyboards, cathode ray tube displays, consoles with switches and indicator lamps, card readers, and magnetic tape drives.
A limited number of special purpose systems have been developed to control prosthetic devices such as artificial limbs by using amplified and rectified myoelectric signals to switch on drive motors. However, these systems are not capable of direct electrical interface with a digital system such as a computer or calculator. These systems do not provide coding for controlling a digital system but simply convert directly a self-induced bioelectric activity into a mechanical action.
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a direct electrical man-machine interface system for permitting direct communication between the human nervous system and a man-made digital system. In accordance with the object of this invention there is no longer the need for awkward interface devices such as keyboards, switches and displays.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a man-machine interface system for converting bioelectrical activity to either a single channel or multi-channel stream of digital signals that can serve as an input to a computer, micro-processor, discreet logic network or any system using digital input signals. These digital input signals are usually in binary form in binary ones and zeros.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a man-machine interface system that additionally provides information flow from the digital system to the operator by converting digital signals into electrical stimuli induced in the operator.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an interface system that provides different time slots for code communication, preferably in combination with acknowledgement signals transferred from the digital system to the operator.